(Clearwisdom.net)
Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I have a sister over 80 years old. When she first saw Master's photo in 1997, she said, “This is a real Buddha!” However, after the persecution started, out of fear, she dared not face Dafa anymore. I was arrested by the evildoers in 2001, my 92-year-old mother was petrified, and she fell ill. I wasn't able to see her again before she passed away. My older sister put all the blame and hatred on me. During the past few years, I'd tried to write her letters or send her truth-clarification materials, but she hadn't change her attitude. The more I wanted to persuade her, the more trouble she caused me.
In early May, she called me and told me that she felt very unwell and wanted to see me, so I took the train to Changchun. After I arrived, I learned that she had thyroid cancer and had had a surgery a month before. The chemotherapy was causing her pain. Seeing her expression so full of pain from the treatment, I blamed myself and felt deep regret. I said to her with tears in my eyes, “My dear sister, I'm so sorry for coming here so late. Don't be afraid, you'll be alright.”
Master said:
“True shan is what a cultivator attains in the process of cultivation and cultivating goodness, and this is a genuine shan that is achieved by cultivation. When you interact with sentient beings, it's not possible for you to display your successfully-cultivated divine side in full, since you still have a human side that has yet to complete cultivation. When required, you must be rational and clearheaded like a cultivator, allowing your responsibilities and righteous thoughts to direct you, and only then will your true shan be displayed. That is what's different about a cultivator and a divine being.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2009 Washington DC International Fa Conference”)
I felt so ashamed of myself. If I was moved by sentimentality, how could I save her? I remembered Triumph Park in Changchun that Master mentioned in Zhuan Falun. I drove to the park and found the rear entrance. At that moment, I felt as if I were seeing Master and hearing His footsteps. I went up to an elderly gentleman and said, “I come from another city, but I heard that Mr. Li Hongzhi once taught the exercises and gave lectures here...” Before I could finish, the gentleman said, “That's right, that's right, they were doing the exercises here and there. Even now some old ladies are still doing the exercises there in the morning.” “The police don't arrest them?” “They do, but after the practitioners are released, they come back and do the exercises again. Now nobody ever interferes with them anymore.” Obviously people dislike the persecution. Then I talked to others in the park, including a driver, sanitation workers, gardeners, and several tourists. When talking about Falun Gong, most of them were very animated and just kept talking. Some told me that many of their family members, friends, or neighbors practiced Falun Gong. This was really encouraging and amazing. How great it was! The root of Dafa had been planted deeply in people's hearts there.
I brought my sister her favorite fruits and helped her clean the house. She gave me a cup of water and said, “You've changed. Are Falun Gong practitioners all very good?” I replied, “Falun Gong's teacher asks us to be good, selfless, and altruistic.” I also told her about my experience in Triumph Park that afternoon. She listened to me very carefully, walked to the living room, and laid down on the couch. Then she sat up and said, “I will quit (the CCP)!” How could such a stubborn person quit the CCP so easily? Maybe I had been waiting for that sentence for too long, because, at that moment, I was stunned. After she quit, her husband, son, daughter-in-law, daughter, and son-in-law all withdrew from the Party. I truly felt happy for them.
At the end of June, my sister called me again to say she was recovering just fine. I knew benevolent Master had begun to take care of her.
Fellow practitioners usually find that, when seeking to persuade family members or friends to quit the CCP, it's much more difficult than talking to strangers. Actually, it is because our hearts are moved by our sentiment towards them. Saving sentient beings is a very serious matter, and we must study the Fa well to fulfill our prehistoric vows to help Master rectify the Fa.
I welcome fellow practitioners to point out anything that is improper.
